The White House defended Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on Thursday following her removal from the House Foreign Affairs Committee by the new Republican majority, saying she has apologized for past comments employing antisemitic tropes.
Omar was booted from the panel from the full House not long after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) blocked Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Eric Swalwell (D-CA) from the House Intelligence Committee.
“What we believe is Congresswoman Omar is a highly respected member of Congress,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at Thursday’s briefing, adding, “She has apologized for her comments she made in the past.”
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Omar faced bipartisan condemnation after making comments about Israel that repeated negative stereotypes about Jews. She specifically implied that congressional support for the Jewish state was motivated by money in the form of campaign contributions. She later apologized.
“Today’s resolution as it relates to Rep. Omar details six statements she made as a sitting member of Congress that, under the totality of the circumstances, disqualify her from serving on the Committee on Foreign Affairs,” Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS) said on the House floor.
“The Committee on Foreign Affairs is a prestigious committee viewed by nations around the world, both allies and adversaries, as speaking for Congress on matters of international importance and national security,” he added. “All members, both Republican and Democrats alike, who seek to serve on Foreign Affairs should be held to the highest standard of conduct due to the international sensitivity and national security concerns under the jurisdiction of this committee.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) defended Omar in a manner similar to the White House.
“Rep. Omar certainly has made mistakes. She has used antisemitic tropes that were clearly and unequivocally condemned by House Democrats when it took place four years ago,” Jeffries said. “But what’s going to take place on the floor today is not a public policy debate. It’s not about accountability. It’s about political revenge.”
Jeffries then highlighted inflammatory statements by Republican members.
Many Democrats believe that Omar, like Schiff and Swalwell, is being punished for the past Democratic majority voting to strip Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) of their committee assignments.
McCarthy denied Thursday that the move was partisan “tit for tat.”
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“As President Biden has made clear: Antisemitism has no place in America,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement late last year. “All Americans should forcefully reject antisemitism – including Holocaust denial — wherever it exists.”
Jean-Pierre has previously said during daily briefings that Democrats are willing to call out bigotry wherever it exists, questioning the Republicans’ commitment to do the same.
